


Softly Spoken

by wayiiseelife



Category: Chicago Fire, Chicago Justice (TV), Chicago Med, Chicago PD (TV)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Confessions, Courtroom Drama, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Falling In Love, Family, Father Figures, Firefighters, Gen, Hospitals, Hurt/Comfort, Linstead, Love, Medical Examination, Medical Trauma, Multi, Police, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Jay, Psychological Drama, T for now, set after 4x16
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-03
Updated: 2017-05-15
Packaged: 2018-10-14 11:25:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10535505
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wayiiseelife/pseuds/wayiiseelife
Summary: The characters from Chicago PD, Med, Fire and Justice come together for an injured member of the Intelligence Unit. T for now. Set after Chicago PD 4x16. Linstead.





	1. Chapter 1

“Maybe we’re not supposed to be happy, maybe gratitude has nothing to do with joy. Maybe being grateful means recognizing what you have for what it is, appreciating small victories. Admiring the struggle it takes simply to be human. Maybe we’re thankful for the familiar things we know. And maybe we’re thankful for the things we’ll never know. At the end of the day, the fact that we have the courage to still be standing is reason enough to celebrate.” - Grey’s Anatomy 

 

The shift was silent.

A peaceful quiet shift, well that doesn't happen often during shifts. When they do happen, the people of house fifty-one, do not take it for granted. They have dinner early, maybe watch a tv show or two and are in bed (maybe not sleeping, but relaxing) around nine pm. 

Matt Casey stretches, getting up from his single extra long twin bed and walking out of his quarters. He knows time has passed slowly on his twenty-four shift, but he was okay with it. It means no fire, no one in danger. He let's out a soft smiles hearing his team, his family letting out soft snores. He makes his way to the kitchen and looks up to the clock on the wall, it states that it is a little before one am. He grabs a chocolate chip cookie from the box a member from the neighborhood dropped off. He grabs a cup from the clean side of the sink, filling it with water.

He let's out a soft sigh, enjoying the peace and quiet. He leans against the counter, sipping his water. The quiet is quickly replaced by the alarm, calling everyone to a car crash about six blocks away from the fire house. Everyone moves quickly.

A little less five minutes later, firehouse 51 was at the scene.

Casey is the first out of the truck.

“What do we got?” Chief Wallace Boden asked, walking up to Casey as this cold spring night. 

Casey sighs, he just got done yelling orders to the men on his truck. “I think we are going to need another am…”

It was Kelly Severide who heard the sharp cry. The scene was loud, with many people yelling back and forth and tools making sounds. He raises his voice, so he could be heard by everyone, “Everyone! Quiet!” He repeats himself once more and the scene quiets down as the cries become louder. 

It was a faint cry for help.

Severide is the first to move towards the cry. He doesn’t seem to notice everyone move to look around him. The sound come from behind a dumpster, twenty feet away from one of the cars. Severide slips off his jacket, putting it gently on the victim. He yells, “I found her! We need a bus!” 

The victim opens her eyes, moving her head slowly to look at the man before her. “Kelly…” She whispers.

The firefighters eyes go wide. He knew that voice. “Shit.” He whispers. “Shit, shit, shit. Hey...it’s going to be okay. We are going to get you help. It’s going to be okay.”

“CASEY!” The man yells desperately. Both Casey and Bodin run his way, followed by Gabriela Dawson and Sylvie Brett behind them. “It’s Erin…” He grabs the woman's hand who lays deathly white on the ground, both Gabby and Sylvie quickly start working. “It’s Erin. We have call Voight.”

Boden looks at the woman then back to his firefighter. “I’ll call. Casey get back to the scene.”

Kelly speaks up, “I’m going to the hospital with her.” It was stated as fact, Boden nods.

Gabby speaks slowly, “It’s going to be okay, Erin. Brett, let’s get moving.”

\-- Spoken Softly. -- 

Sergeant Hank Voight never could sleep in a quiet house. Throughout the years, the Voight household was always somewhat noisy. He does now leave the tv on either in the living room or his bedroom to let himself most of the night.

He fell asleep to a some crime show on the ID channel around midnight. The day before was filled with heartbreak as they caught a case of a child who was shot in a cross fire. They caught the killer. It wasn’t until 9:30 pm when they found out that the arresting officer had a hit for half a million dollars on her. 

Hank shoots up when his cellphone rings on the first ring. “Hello…” He reaches over to the lamp on his nightstand, switching it on. 

“Hey, Hank.” The voice on the other side on the phone call sounds up. “Sorry to call you so early. We arrived on a scene of a car crash...it’s Erin, Hank.” Boden says, he waits for the sergeant to say something but when he doesn’t he keeps talking. “She’s heading to Med. Will Halstead is on duty, waiting for Erin. Kelly Severide said he will wait until you or someone from the teams arrives.”

Hank lets out a shakey breath. “You said Med?”

“Yes…”

“Thank you…” Hank hangs up the phone. He quickly gets out of bed, changing clothes quickly, grabbing his keys, phone and whatever else he may need. 

He sends a quick text to Alvin Olinsky to meet him at Med, ASAP. 

\-- Spoken Softly. -- 

Doctor Will Halstead, Doctor Connor Rhodes and April Sexton were waiting for Ambulance 61. The ambulance was 75 seconds out. Rhodes looks to Halstead, “Are you going to be okay to work on this case? I hear it’s Erin…your brothers…”

Will looks to the man who is questioning him. “I’ll be fine. We would should worry about Voight and Jay if they come around.”

Connor nods. He understands. 

Ambulance 61 rushes in, paramedic runs in with Kelly Severide and Erin Lindsay. Severide was on top of Erin, performing CPR. “How long has she been down?” Will asks, as they bring her in Baghdad trauma room. 

“Two minutes!” Kelly yells. He looks over to the Chicago Med doctors desperate. Though Kelly and Erin haven’t been in a romantic relationship for awhile, but he stilled cared for the other one. Erin was one of the best people Kelly has ever meet. 

\-- Spoken Softly. -- 

“She’s coding!” Connor screams. “Put the paddles to 350!”

It was at the moment, Olinsky pulls Voight away from the room that holds his adoptive daughter. “Hank…” He says in a soft careful tone. “You don’t want to see this…”

“Is she okay?” Hank fights against his close friends arms. 

Alvin can see the tears swell up in Hank’s eyes. He knows the pain, he just went through this himself two months ago. “Let’s go outside. Hal...Will come find us when they have anything. Let’s go outside...breath.” 

Hank nods, allowing the other man lead him outside. “Call the team in. I want to find out what the fuck happened…”

“On it…” The other man promises.


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waiting.

"Sometimes it's good to be scared. It means you still have something to lose." - Grey's Anatomy

Chapter Two : Waiting

Hank Voight’s voice broke in pieces outside the hospital walls. “I ca...I can’t do this again. I can’t lose someone again.” He turns his face away from Alvin, tears developing in his eyes. “She is all that I have left…”

Alvin sighs. He doesn’t honestly know what will make Hank feel better because when he was in this situation nothing at all made him feel better. He just bites his lip for a moment, watching his friend. 

“I’ll call Jay. And I will call the team...I’ll even see if Dawson will come help for a couple days.” Alvin speaks. “You won’t leave the waiting room until we hear some good words. The team…” Maybe not Jay, because he knew how the young detective felt about Hank’s (in all meaning) daughter. “We will get our team on it.”

Hank sniffles. “She has to be okay…” Alvin puts a hand on his friend’s shoulder squeezing, pulling out his phone.

\-- Softly Spoken. --

Jay Halstead woke up to his phone ringing a billionth time. He swears angry, sliding the green phone button over and putting it to his ear. “It's two forty in the morning...what the fuck is so important!?” He rolls over onto the bed to reach for Erin, frowns when he feels that no one is there.

Erin said she'd be home around midnight. He shakes it off as he focus on the phone call that is before him.

“Jay.” The man on the other line is Olinsky. 

Jay lets out a little yawn. “Yes…?”

“Get down to Med…”

Before Alvin can finish his sentence, Jay interrupts. “Is Will okay?” The detective is on his feet and out of bed, slipping on yesterday jeans and finding his shoes as he holds on to his phone.

The older man out of the two sighs deeply. “Will is fine, Jay. It’s Erin. She’s hurt. It’s bad...”

Jay says nothing as he hangs up the phone. He slides his fingers through his hair, anger flowing through him and punching the bedroom he shares with the woman he loves, letting out some hurt.

\-- Softly Spoken --

It was three twenty-two am, when Adam Ruzek, Kim Burgess, Kevin Atwater and Antonio Dawson arrived at the scene of the car crash. Kevin is the first one to speak, “Antonio, what are you doing here?”

The detective or now known as Chief Investigator looks to the three. “I heard what happened. Alvin called. Stone called me afterwards, he sent me over to help. It sounds like you guys will need it. And...and I want to be here. This is attack on all of us...not just here. Alvin is at the hospital with Hank and Jay. He said he would call with some news once there is news…then maybe how things are will come help. Both Voight and Halstead are off the case.”

Kim looks down. She speaks up, not knowing what to say but wanted to say something. “She will be okay.” She takes a deep, shaky breath. “She is strong.” Kevin nods in agreement. Adam felt like he was in his own little world, not really hearing what’s around him as he is looking at her car, that is in a horrible place, silent.

 

“If you guys need time. That’s fine, take a moment or two, gather your thoughts and breath. Let’s get to work. We need answers. And fast.” Antonio speaks to his former team, his friends.

\-- Softly Spoken --

Jay runs in Med, breathing heavily. He wasn’t a man who expressed himself in words, but he was afraid. He heard the tone of voice in the phone Alvin’s call, the older man was frightened himself. 

He thinks to himself, What if she is not okay? What if she’s died? What will happen to Jay?

Jay knew if he lost Erin, things would never be the same. He would lose apart of himself, that he may never get back.

He can’t lose his partner. His love of his life. He takes a deep breath, gathering his thoughts before letting himself remember the reality he was in.  
He takes a moment to look around for a nurse, doctor, anyone he might know. He walks over to two familiar faces, Voight and Olinsky, who sat in the corner away from everyone else in the waiting room. He knows they are outside of work and he should call them by the first name instead of the last, but he can’t help it. It’s habit now. “Where is she?” The words mumble out of his mouth.

Voight is the one to speak, his eyes still on the ground. “She is in with the doctors...we haven’t heard anything since we got her…”

“How bad is it…?” The young detective whispers, interrupting the man without meaning too.

“It’s bad.” 

\-- Spoken Softly --

Kelly Severide comes back from the hospital bathroom, with doleful look planted on his face. He looks back down to his hands before heading to the nurses desk that lies across from the room Erin was laying in.

Severide breaths with a slight hitch in his breath, watching as doctors and nurses are around her. It’s only been a little less than an hour since Erin has been brought in. “She’s holding on…” Maggie says behind him. “She is one of the strongest people in Chicago. It might be a long process but she will be okay.”

“I’m glad I could get her here in time…” He slides his fingers across the top of his shoulder blade, it’s a new nervous habit that he has picked up and been trying to stop. “Can you keep me updated?” Maggie nods a yes. “I’m going to check in with Voight, real quick before heading back to the firehouse. I’m sure he is here by now…”

He walks out of into the waiting room after a quick look inside the room, with the weight on his shoulders. Or that what he feels like. Sometimes he wishes he could forget things. The man looks around seeing the waiting room before him, it is being filled with members of the Chicago Police Department.

“Voight.” He speaks up as he walks forward. “I’m sorry about, Erin. I hear she is putting up quite a fight in there.” He didn’t want to say that he took a look for himself, upsetting the man. He knew from a couple years ago, how defense the man could get for the people he called family. “If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to call me. I want to help anyway I can.”

Voight nods, mumbling a thank you underneath his breath. 

\-- Softly Spoken --

It was a little after seven thirty am, when two doctors working on Erin walks out to the waiting room. Jay is quickly on his feet seeing the man he calls a brother coming out, “Will.” He says with a soft tone, he is sacred to speak up afraid he might break down. He wanted...needed to stay strong. He doesn’t notice his face go pale, seeing both doctors covered in blood. 

Voight stands, close to Alvin, speechless. Alvin is prepared for the worse, but doesn’t know how to keep his friend grounded or away from the case if Erin has passed.

“Erin is alive.”


	3. Bedside

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bedside.

Quick note: Hello! Thank you for all the wonderful reviews! I really appreciate them! 

Chapter Three was a little harder to write. I did some research of car injuries, and asking some friends who have been in car crashes and who work in the medical field. I sent this chapter to two people before posting. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I love putting myself into the story.

Head’s up! The team will come in more in Chapter Four, along with some members of Fire/Justice.

\-- Softly Spoken -- 

“People have scars in all sorts of unexpected places. Like secret road maps of their personal histories, diagrams of all of their old wounds. Most of our old wounds heal, leaving nothing behind but a scar. But some of them, don’t. Some wounds, we carry with us everywhere… and though the cut is long gone, the pain still lingers. “ - Grey’s Anatomy 

Chapter Three: “Breathe.”

Hank Bought walks in the white ICU room that held his daughter.

He struggles to keep up with what Doctor Rhodes was saying, as he looks to Erin. She was trapped in the hospital bed, pale and connected to IV’s. She didn’t look like herself and he hated it.

As a father, he didn’t know what to do.

He takes a chair that’s touching the wall, bringing it the hospital bed. He doesn't dare to touch her, afraid that if he does he might break her, but lays his hand on her hospital bed.

“Sorry, doc.” He mumbles. “I didn't hear a word you said…” He looks up to face him.

“It's okay, Voight.” Rhodes says in a soft voice. “Erin, will be okay. Her left hand and wrist is shattered. We fixed what we could at the moment with surgery. She also has some injuries to her left shoulder, a minor fracture and a sprain to her ankle. She has a case of whiplash and a concussion. We took care of the cuts on her face, arms and legs. “

The sergeant looks to the doctor who now has stopped talking. “There is more…” He says slowly.

The doctor nods. “Injuries during car crashes are sometimes questionable. They vary. But Erin has some injuries that are contrast of being beat.” Voight’s head pops up, he doesn’t have to say it as the expression give it away to explain, now. “She has bruises covering about eighty percent of her body. A huge straight bruise across her chest, she looks like she was hit with a metal bruise. We are unsure if the pulmonary contusion is due to the car crash or the some trauma to her chest. She also has a wound on the top of her skull, not caused by the crash we think.”

“She will be okay, right doc?” The question is soft tone of voice, the harden man has only used a few times in his life.

“I think with a lot of hard work. She will be okay.” Rhodes nods. “Do you guys have any leads on what happened?”

He looks to Erin sadly. “Not that I have been told.” 

The doctor nods. “Until Doctor Halstead or I leave, it will be either of us checking in on her every hour or so. She will wake up. Just on her own time. Just remember her body is healing.” 

Voight nods, understanding.

\-- Softly Spoken -- 

Jay Halstead walked the ICU waiting room in a circle. He eyes were a bright red, dark circles underneath his eyes and though his hands were stuffed in his hoodie pockets, they were shaking.

Will Halstead watched his brother from the doorway. He was worried. “Jay…” He speaks only a word knowing it would grab the man’s attention. “Voight sent me to talk you as he talks to Rhodes. He said something about you are as much her family. Let’s talk...okay?” The youngest Halstead nods. 

\-- Softly Spoken --

Jay walks in the hospital room that held the woman of his dreams. After his talk with Will, he felt out of it. He wishes that in minutes, he would open his eyes in bed with Erin at his side. 

“It’s going to be long road to recovery.” Will’s words are repeating in his head. Jay promised to himself that he would be there every step of the way. 

“Jay.” It took him a second to realize that it was his boss talking to him as he couldn’t keep his eyes away from Erin. He feels a deep sharp pain in his chest and he panics for a second. 

He would give anything for him to be in this bed instead of Erin.

“Jay.” The man is now moved from his chair and standing next to Jay. He feels odd calling the man before him by his first name, but today felt like it was needed. “Can you sit with her? I have to cross some t’s and dot some i’s. I know I can’t be on this case…”

He couldn’t finish his sentence, but the young man knows where he was going with it. They both seen victims in the ER talking and hours later being wheeled away to the morgue. It was a sad fact, but life was unpredictable. He figured that the man who has lost his wife and son in the matter of years, needed a distraction with his daughter in all sense of the word in the ER. “I won’t leave.” The words come out of his mouth like a promise. 

“Thanks, kid. Call with any changes okay…” He watches his boss walk over to Erin, kissing her forehead, murmuring something quiet and walking out.

Jay takes the seat by her bedside, he slips his hand in her. “Erin…” He whispers breathlessly. “Please come back to me. Take as much time as you need...just come back to me...I don’t think I can handle life without you.” He knows it sounds selfish, but it was the truth. Erin Lindsay made life so much better. 

He makes a promise to himself that when Erin wakes up, he would let her in. She deserves it.

\-- Softy Spoken --

With permission from Voight, it’s Antonio Dawson who sends a mass text to the members of Firehouse 51 and the State's office about the update of Erin. 

Peter Stone is the first one to reply, “Keep me updated.”

Antonio stands in front of his old coworker, Alvin Olinsky. “Are you okay if I help along with the case with the team being three members gone?” 

Olinsky nods. “We need all hands on deck. Until we get a man in custody and the questions answered, Voight and Halstead are not working on the case…” He doesn’t need to say they both won’t be sleeping or relaxed until this is all over, both Dawson and Olinsky has been where a family member was in danger on a case. 

He sighs, “I am here to help, Olinsky.” Dawson begins to update Olinsky where the team is, “I sent everyone home, told them to be back at nine am. Everyone needed some food, coffee and a change of clothes. They will be here at nine am ready to update the board and work until it’s solved.” Olinsky nods, understanding.


	4. Tequila

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Updated.

“If there's an upside to free-falling, it's the chance you give your friends to catch you.” - Grey’s Anatomy 

Chapter Four: Tequila

Jay Halstead watches her breathe, well the machines breathe for her. He holds her hand tightly. 

He reminds himself, she is still breathing. The room isn’t quiet as the sounds of machines fill it.

“I don’t know what to say, Erin. I don’t know how to fill the silence…” Jay begins to talk.

\-- Softly Spoken --

Hank Voight walks into District 21, with the weight of the world on his shoulders.

He angrily walks up the stairs a little after ten am, to see his team in a circle talking with each other. “What’s going on?” He speaks up, getting each of his team member to look at him. 

“Hank…we were not expecting you here.” Onlisky stands. That was a fucking lie, Hank thinks to himself.

“I want an update.”

“You can’t be here…”

“I just want a update…” He says, a hard tone hitting each word he says. 

 

He turns away from team to look at the board that is now all set up. The board was filled with pictures of the car accident. It was also filled with a picture of a smiling Erin Lindsay, his eyes went to a picture of a man he didn’t know. He points to the picture of the man in his late forties with a scar along his right mouth, he does not look at his team as he asks his voice filled with anger and hurt, “Who is he?”

“The man doesn’t have a name yet.” It’s Kevin Atwater who speaks up. 

“There was two cars that hit Erin’s.” Kim Burgess points to two blurred pictures on the board.

“A white Ford Mustang, year 2012. The mustang we have a partial plate, the last three numbers being 595.” He points to one of the pictures, then he moves his hand across to another picture. “The second car is a bright yellow Chevrolet Camaro with a whole license plate 548-JIK being out of state, also being stolen out of Wisconsin. It belongs to a Mark Harvey, who lives in Madison, Wisconsin. The Mustang has not come back to anyone yet. Mark is in interview room one, writing down his statement at the moment. He says is here in Chicago on business. We are checking on that.”

“Anything else?” Hank’s fingers run across the picture of the woman he called his daughter.

“We were wrong about the officer with the bounty on her head…” It’s Adam Ruzek who speaks up now. “We thought it was Officer Andrews, the woman who took Boony Wadzinski from Erin to bring him during our last raid. His father, Frank Wadzinski, put the bounty on Erin…” He was ready for an angry reaction from his boss. 

“We have two officers at the hospital with Erin and Jay right now. No one will get to her. The only people that can come in and out of her room, is Jay, Dr. Halstead, Dr Rhodes, two nurses, the team, you and me.” Alvin tells him, hoping it would calm his old friend down right away.

“Okay…” Everyone in the room could hear the anger in his voice. “I want the video from every camera from the Molly’s to the accident. I want statements from Herrmann, and who else was working at the bar with.” 

Hank knew he was in no right to be giving direction, that he was pulled off the case. Because technically, he was pulled off the case. 

But someone fucked with his family and he needed answers now.

Alvin looks to Antonio before speaking, “You heard him. Let’s get going.”

\-- Softly Spoken --

It now hit the end of the twenty-four hour shift for the members of firehouse fifty one. They were leaving the house around the same time when Kelly Severide turns to speak to his friends. “I’m going to head to Med. See how Erin is doing, see if the Intelligence team need anything.”

Matthew Casey nods, “I think I’ll come with you.” He looks over to his wife. “Do you want to come with…?”

“Sylvie and I were going to grab some coffee and baked goods and over to the district. Antonio said that everyone could use a pick me up. With Voight there now, it’s a little stressful.”

“Let me know if they could use anything or any help…” Herrmann speaks a few feet away, the guilt was written all over his face. “She was only suppose to cover until nine pm...with Darren calling in. She stayed until two am for me…” He felt guilty for asking Erin to come in and help out. Erin has done him a few favors, bartending some nights when people have called out when she wasn’t on a case. 

“Chris...don’t blame yourself. It’s not your fault…” Kelly tells his long time friend. “Shit happens…” 

He feels sometimes that Chicago has it out for people he calls family.

“Well, tonight…” He speaks up so everyone can hear him. “Tonight, drinks are for Erin. I will have a bucket to help with her medical bills and whatever else she may need...it is the least I can do for her.” He looks down, hiding his frown.

“Don’t be to hard for herself. And I’m sure that Erin and her whole team will appreciate the bucket.” Kelly tells him, grabbing the man’s shoulder giving a slight squeeze. He moves to car, inviting Casey to come along if he wanted.

\-- Softly Spoken --

Hank sits at his desk in his office as Commander Emma Crowley in front of him, along with Assistant State's Attorney Peter Stone who stood a few feet from his desk. His office door is shut to the rest of the team, though the team was working and it left Burgess being the only one out in the bullpen. “You can’t be apart of this investigation.” Crowley says. It’s a conversation he has had with the woman before.

Peter Stone nods, agreeing with the commander. He wanted the case coming to him with clear thought. “I want this case to come to me with no worries, no suspects with unexplained injuries.”

“Your hands need to be clear of this case.” The commander says. 

“I just want to be kept in the loop.” Hank says to the two people in his office. “I won’t go near it otherwise. I just want to know what’s going on.” That’s a fib, everyone in the room knows that it is too. Hank knows that conversation has to go on record.

Commander nods, agreeing to it. “Alvin will be in charge of this case.”

“I would like Dawson to help out, too. You guys will be three people down and I know you could use some extra hands.” Peter adds the last part, “I hope you don’t mind.” 

Hank just nods. He doesn’t really know what to say. He could agree with anything, but he knows both Alvin and Antonio will help him get his answers and justice. 

Commander stands, “I want you on desk duty until the case over. You can use the time to catch up on some paper. And if you need anything, please call.”

“Jay Halstead.” Hank replies as the Commander reaches for the door handle to open the door. “He’s going to be off the case too.” She nods understanding without having to ask a why. She may be a commander, but she has heard the rumors about the two young detectives in one of the best units in Chicago. She mumbles a few words as she leaves his office. Stone says a thank you, then goes off to find his lead investigator. 

\-- Softly Spoken --

Jay stands outside the door of Erin’s hospital room, holding a ripping hot of coffee that he was very thankful Kelly brought. He felt odd that he wasn’t beside Erin, that he switched places with Casey, so he could get a little coffee in him and some food.

He would not say it, but a little of him was thankful that they forced him out.

“I heard it was you that found her.” His voice is soft. He couldn’t get it above a whisper. After all the heartache he has felt over the years, he kept thinking to himself that this might be the thing that will put him over the edge. “Thank you, Kelly.”

“Of course. I’m just happy to get her here at Med in time.” The man spoke to the tired man. “How you holding up?”

“I’m okay.” Jay mumbles. “Will…” He couldn’t call his big brother, Doctor Halstead. “...and Dr Rhodes said she will be okay. That beside the car crash, she has some injures that she thinks that she was beaten…Erin, was just lucky. She has someone looking out for her.”

\-- Softly Spoken --

Trudy Platt looks across her desk to a man who held a bag in his hand. “Something I can do for you, Herrmann?” There is a sense of laughter in her voice, as she tries to joke around with the seasoned firefighter.

He sets the bag on the counter. “I gathered some videos tapes around the bar that shows the whole night, also the tapes inside the bar. I put them inside after I was stabbed…” 

“Thanks, Chris. This will help a lot.” Trudy says, taking the bag. “I’ll bring them upstairs right away.”  
“Erin is going to be alright, isn’t she?” 

Trudy nods. “What I hear, it might be a tough road but she is strong. She will be alright.”

\-- Softly Spoken --

It’s a little past the twelve hour mark since the accident, when Jay feels a twitch coming from Erin’s hand. He takes his free hand, rubbing it along his face opening his eyes over and over again. 

Was he dreaming?

He felt a little out of it, so he might be dreaming.

He looks over to her face, to see if maybe her eyes opened when he was a little out of it. Her eyes doesn’t open but her lips move, mumbling something quiet that the young veteran couldn’t hear over the machines. 

“Say it again…” The man whispers. He was now watching close, to make sure he did not miss a thing. “Baby...I’m right here...I’m listening…”

Her eyes were still frozen shut but he could hear her clear as day. 

“Tequila…”


	5. "She's Awake."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She awakes.

It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop. - Confucius

\-- Spoken Softly -- 

Chapter Five: “She’s Awake.”

With her eyes wide open, looking at the man who held her hand tightly. He clearly wasn't afraid that she would break. She feels like she been run over by a truck. She looks over to Jay, her eyes focused on him now. “I need a shot of tequila…”

She sees Jay’s face lit up. She can’t help to smile, even if it’s just for a moment.

“I'll buy any tequila that you want after you get out of the hospital.” He promises. He reaches for the nurses button, knowing that Rhodes or his brother would come in. He moves his hand to Erin's face, his fingers softly move along her cheek.

Will is the first one in the door. The famous Halstead grins comes across his face once he takes in the scene before him. “Well, good morning sleepy head.” He tries to use humor in his voice. “How are you feeling?”

Erin speaks softly. “Okay. Everything hurts.” 

Jay slips out his phone, as Will checks Erin’s oxygen levels. The detective sent a quick text message to Voight, that says Erin is awake. “On a level from one to ten, how do you feel?”

She moves her head to the side softly.

“I’m guessing a ten. No worries, I can help that.” Will says. He calls in a nurse, before turning back to Erin. “I’m going to put you on some celebrex and tramadol. That should help pain. If doesn’t, we can put you on some morphine.”

She nods. She thinks to herself, that Will must know her of her past. She wonders who told him. She closes her eyes. “I’m tired…” She whispers. 

Jay gives her a hand a little squeeze. “Sleep, babe.”

\-- Spoken Softly. --

He sees Hank Voight’s face give a little relief when he reads the text message on his cellphone. “She’s awake?” Olinsky asks. He could only guess that she was awake by the relief on his friend’s face.

He nods. “Jay said she’s in pain, but that Will is taking care of it. But she woke up.”

“That’s good news, Hank.” He sits down in the chair closest to the door. He arms move into a cross. “What are we going to do about this…?”

“We are going to find the bastard who did this…” He begins to talk.

“All eyes are on this case.” He interrupts his friend. “You can’t do anything crazy. I know when you found the man who killed Lexi, I wasn’t thinking about all the hands that were involved in the case. I was angry that you wouldn’t let me take this man, beat the hell out of him and let him rot in the river like he deserved. Though, I grateful that you helped me make sure I didn’t fall off the edge. I am going to do the same for you. We will catch this guy, put him in the cage before sending him with Dawson.” 

Voight just nods. He doesn’t need to say anything because he knows. “The commander, the captain wants me off this case.”

“We will keep you in the loop.” The seasoned detective promises. “We will keep you in the loop, and make sure the both of them know you are out of the loop. Maybe you should go visit Erin. I am sure she would like to see you.”

“After.” He kind of growls. “I need a lead before I leave.”

\-- Softly Spoken --

It’s ten minutes after Erin wakes up when the lead happens. 

Dawson comes up the stairs, almost in a run. He doesn’t see his sister and her partner, Brett, in the break room when he yells, “I have a lead!”

He feels all eyes on him when he finally stops moving. “What’s the lead?”

“The second the car. The 2012 white Mustang. I have a name, I know who the car belongs to.” Dawson says. He grabs tape from Erin’s desk, putting two pieces on the picture and slamming it against the board with the cases information. He points to the man, “This is Frank Wadzinski’s right hand man, Donald Cho.”

“The car belongs to him?” Kevin asks. 

He shakes his head. “No, no. The car is in the name of Cho Don.” Dawson puts out five more pictures along with the deed of the car. “These two pictures of are Donlad waiting in the car, eight blocks ahead of the crash. The third picture is the white Mustang passing Erin’s car. The fourth and fifth pictures are of Donald walking away from the car with seems like a head injury and a limp.”

Alvin Olinsky tilts his head, “He hit Erin on purpose. Frank Wadzinski put his right hand man on the job. I will update Voight, Adam run the pictures of Wadzinski and Cho to the Med. I want these pictures posted on the entrance and given to the cops on Erin’s door. Antonio talk to Peter, we need a warrant on this guy and we need it now. The faster we have him in custody, the better. Kevin and…” He points to Antonio’s new partner, not remembering her name at the moment. “...you, go find Cho and follow him until we have the warrant. Anyone else, bring food and a change of clothes to Jay then head back here and listen to the tip line. Call me, not Voight, with any news.”

The team nods, before heading off and doing what they are told. 

\-- Softly Spoken -- 

Erin opens her eyes, moaning in pain as she looks around the room in a panic.

She heard the sounds of the machines but didn’t see the two important people in her life, Jay Halstead and Hank Voight. 

Her hands feel around the hospital bed, searching for something to make noise. “Jay…” She whispers, not able to get her voice up as loud as she wants to. 

Suddenly his face shows in her view. “Sorry...I must of dozed off. Are you okay?”

“Voight.” She mumbles. “Where’s Voight?”

\-- Softly Spoken --

Voight hands the apartment key to Jay and Erin’s place to Kim Burgess. “Can you do me a favor? Grab Erin’s blue and pink blanket? She has had it for years and always seemed to help her sleep better.”

Kim nods, “Of course, Sarge.” She walks out of his  office, shutting the door behind him. 

Alvin waits for the door to shut. “His name is Donald Cho. He is Frank’s trusted man, first in command. He has the man’s name who crashed into Erin’s car. I have Dawson getting warrants, Adam spreading pictures around, Kevin and Nagel are going to find and follow Cho until we have the warrant.”

Voight looks up. “Thank you, Alvin. I trust you will call with some news when you do get an eye on him.” He stands from his seat, leaning forward and grabbing his jacket, slipping it on. “I am going to check on Erin. Jay called me and said she asked for me.”

“Call me if you need anything.” Alvin says. “I’ll stop by later tonight with some burger and fries for you and Jay.”

“Thanks, Alvin.”


End file.
